Peter Ainsworth MP has expressed relief that the Government’s new planning guidance does not change the status of Redhill Aerodrome.
Responding to concerns raised by constituents that new planning policy would mean permission for housing developments would be easier to obtain on airfields, Peter Ainsworth wrote to Yvette Cooper MP, Minister for Housing and Planning. In a letter sent to Peter Ainsworth and Crispin Blunt MP, MP for Reigate, the Minister states:
“There is no presumption that previously-developed land is necessarily suitable for housing development…This applies to airfields as to all other land uses.”
She goes on to say:
“It is up to local authorities to decide on a case by case basis.”
In November 2006 Redhill Aerodrome Ventures Limited (RAVL) held two meetings to discuss plans to build a “village settlement” at the airfield. Tandridge District Council have stressed throughout that Redhill Aerodrome is in the Green Belt and therefore unsuitable for housing development.
Responding to the letter Peter Ainsworth MP said:
“I am pleased that this point has now been clarified and we can now have certainty that the fact that Redhill Aerodrome is an airfield does not make it more vulnerable to development than other green belt land.”
He went on to say:
“Redhill Aerodrome Ventures Ltd (RAVL) have now had very clear messages from both Tandridge District Council and from the Government that Redhill Aerodrome is not an appropriate site for a massive housing development. I hope that RAVL will now stop wasting their money, and everyone else’s time and get on with running their airfield.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
1) The letter from Yvette Cooper dated 24th January 2007 states that Planning Policy Statement 3 does not change the status of airfields compared to the previous policy PPG3. Further information about PPG3 and PPS3 can be found using the following links:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1143941
http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/england/professionals/en/1020432883668.html
2) On 30th October 2006 Peter Ainsworth MP and Crispin Blunt declared that they would not participate in workshops organised by Redhill Aerodrome Ventures Limited to consider the design of a new village to be built on the site of Redhill Aerodrome. They expressed concern that participation in the process could be misinterpreted as implied consent to RAVL’s plans for the site.
|
